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Chinese Military Aircraft Numbering System
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Chinese Military Aircraft Numbering System
by Rick Kamer
People's Libation Army Navy Naval Aviation:
The registration numbers used on PLAN aircraft are in the 8XXXX series for aircraft assigned to the 8 or 9 Naval Air Divisions. It was originally believed the digit in the 4th position (XXX#X) indicated the division. Therefore, the structure was believed to be as follows: (#XX#X).
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8xx1x
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8xx2x
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8xx3x
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8xx4x
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8xx5x
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8xx6x
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8xx7x
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8xx8x
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8xx9x
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8xx0x
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| 1st Naval Division | 2nd Naval Division | 3rd Naval Division | 4th Naval Division | 5th Naval Division | 6th Naval Division | 7th Naval Division | 8th Naval Division | 9th Naval Division | 10th Naval Division |
The incident with the EP-3 and the J-8 brought forth some new data that casts some doubt on the accuracy of related information. Kanwa News reported the aircraft at Lingshui were the 8th Naval Division. Based on the table above, it was thought they belonged to the 9th Naval Division. The dilemma is where the inaccuracy falls. There are at least four possibilities:
1. The numbering system is not like noted above but is like the Air Force, with a digit shift. If so, the Naval units could be like this:
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8xx1x
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8xx2x
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8xx3x
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8xx4x
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8xx5x
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8xx6x
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8xx7x
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8xx8x
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8xx9x
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8xx0x
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| 1st Naval Division | 2nd Naval Division | 3rd Naval Division | 4th Naval Division | 5th Naval Division | 6th Naval Division | 7th Naval Division | 8th Naval Division | 9th Naval Division |
Based on information from multiple sources, this does not seem likely. I am actively trying to re-validate previously identified units.
2. Naval air division have been reorganized and the 8th and 9th Naval Divisions have been combined under the pennant of the PLAN 8th Division.
3. The information in Kanwa News was commingled between 8th and 9th divisions and the airbases at Haikou (previously thought to be 8th division) and Lingshui (previously identified as 9th division.)
4. A reorganization occurred that made the matrix for Naval units obsolete.
What we DO know:
The following aircraft/units have been seen:
H-6D
registration number 81225
H-6D registration number 82032
J-7E registration numbers 81X4X
Q-5 registration numbers 82X5X
J-8 registration numbers 83X5X
JH-7
registration number 81769
J-6 registration number 81186
J-8II registration number 81196
H-5 registration number 83104
The JH-7 is from the unit at Shanghai Dachang. We know this from media and satellite imagery, both recent sources.
The J-6 is probably from the unit at Haikou. These are reportedly recent photos from search and rescue operations for Lingshui J-8 pilot Wang Wei.
The J-8 is from the unit at Lingshui. If there is one piece of irrefutable information regarding the PRCNAF, this is it.
The J-7's are reportedly from the unit at Luqiao.
Another recent development only adds to the confusion of the Naval Division order of battle. The H-6D, 82032 possibly identifies a second Naval H-6D unit. The numbers seen thus far, 81225 and 82032, would indicate different units of subordination.
Age of any of the photos is also in need of consideration. If there had been a reorganization of Naval Divisions it is reasonable to expect a conflict in the numbers seen on aircraft of the same division that were taken years apart. In the case of the H-6s, for example, a unit that was perhaps the 3rd Naval Division is now the 2nd Naval Division. Another example could be the Q-5s and J-8s in the 8XX5X series. There could be enough time between the photos that these aircraft could have represented the same unit at different times and do not reflect current organization. Since the Navy has many fewer Air Division than the Air Force, it is not unreasonable they could have easily repainted the aircraft in their inventory that changed.
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